Landlords could find it harder to find buy-to-let mortgages due to the introduction of additional licensing by local authorities.

Liverpool City Council is consulting on proposals to roll out additional licensing for all landlords under its jurisdiction. If the plans go ahead, it will be the second local authority to do so in a year.

But at least one lender – RBS and its subsidiary NatWest – has a longstanding policy not to lend where BTL property requires a special license.